Article> One of my clients recently reported getting a job at a fast-food restaurant. Since she's been unemployed and desperately looking for work for nearly a year, I was thrilled for her. She was very excited that she'll be making $7.50 an hour -&#8211; a whole quarter more than minimum wage.

After she left my office, I got out a calculator. I've never worked for minimum wage, so I didn't know exactly how much -- or how little -- money that is.

Assuming 80 hours per pay period, my client will be bringing home around $462 every two weeks. That's with no health insurance or retirement contributions.

If I brought home $924 a month, would I even be able to survive? I decided to find out.

They don't, they can't, I've been saying that for years, more than 75% of those working for minimum wage are adults and minimum wage currently has the lowest spending power in history. In the richest country in the world, the poorest worker should make a living wage.

They don't, they can't, I've been saying that for years, more than 75% of those working for minimum wage are adults and minimum wage currently has the lowest spending power in history. In the richest country in the world, the poorest worker should make a living wage.

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What is a 'living wage'? Given that if a business increases what it pays its workers, it generally has to increase the price to its customers... therefore the cost of living goes up, which means the 'living wage' is no longer a 'living wage' which means it needs to be increased... which leads to increased prices to customers, which leads to an increase in the cost of living, which leads to an increase in the 'living wage', which leads to.... I think you get where I'm going with this. There is no simple answer... and people really should recognize that and stop expecting simple answers.

This is what you get when you have a society where the price is everything.
Like I have said 1000 times...we live in a country where the nations largest company is a retail giant whose company motto is "lowest possible price".

Article> One of my clients recently reported getting a job at a fast-food restaurant. Since she's been unemployed and desperately looking for work for nearly a year, I was thrilled for her. She was very excited that she'll be making $7.50 an hour - a whole quarter more than minimum wage.

After she left my office, I got out a calculator. I've never worked for minimum wage, so I didn't know exactly how much -- or how little -- money that is.

Assuming 80 hours per pay period, my client will be bringing home around $462 every two weeks. That's with no health insurance or retirement contributions.

If I brought home $924 a month, would I even be able to survive? I decided to find out.

There's the first problem right there. People getting by on minwage jobs do not work 80 hours every 2 weeks. They work 80hrs every week. Minimum. I knew a guy, a Thai immigrant, who worked a day job, a night job, and a weekend job. So double that to over $1800/mo. Yeah, you can get by on that.
Second, the number of heads of households who work min wage jobs is miniscule. Holders of such jobs are typically married women returning to the workforce, teenagers, people living with others who are earning money.
Finally, very few people stay at min wage. As they develop skills and experience they increase their pay scales dramatically.
Of course if you increase the min wage you do away with jobs like that, and make it harder for people to get on the ladder. This is why black teen unemployment is over 40%.

They don't, they can't, I've been saying that for years, more than 75% of those working for minimum wage are adults and minimum wage currently has the lowest spending power in history. In the richest country in the world, the poorest worker should make a living wage.

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Funny. I know lots of people who make minimum wage, every single one of them is alive.

There are also jobs for which minimum wage does not apply. I think the going rate for table waiters here in Atlanta is $2.13/hr. They are expected to make up the difference by hustling for tips...giving good service, etc. A decent bartender makes $5.00/hr.

I tip rather heavily wherever I eat and drink because I know these people don't make shit compared to my salary...and they're just tryin' to make a livin'...put some bread on the table for those grubby little crumb snatchers crawlin' around the home place.

I feel a bit of guilt every time I treat myself to a new thousand dollar pistol...happened again just yesterday.

There are also jobs for which minimum wage does not apply. I think the going rate for table waiters here in Atlanta is $2.13/hr. They are expected to make up the difference by hustling for tips...giving good service, etc. A decent bartender makes $5.00/hr.

I tip rather heavily wherever I eat and drink because I know these people don't make shit compared to my salary...and they're just tryin' to make a livin'...put some bread on the table for those grubby little crumb snatchers crawlin' around the home place.

I feel a bit of guilt every time I treat myself to a new thousand dollar pistol...happened again just yesterday.

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